Any mechanics in the house?

[depakid]

I have an 88 supercharged MR-2. Today on the way to a study session (at a women's house who I'd really like to know better- wouldn't you know) I suddenly lost oil and pressure, whereupon the valves and rods began to clatter. I gimped to the nearest auto parts store ('bout a mile and a half away), replenished the oil and made sure that there was enough coolant, but the oil is still leaking like a seive from somewhere.

My first horror was that I might have blown a head gasket, but I still seem to have oil pressure when it's full. I also appear to have lost a connector somewhere between the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe, so the car is louder than normal and firing kind of choppy (lack of back pressure?). Obviously, I have no way to test for compression, but I don't want to get burned by some mechanic telling me it's worse than it is.

No water or coolant is coming out the tail pipe or leaking on the ground (good sign, I think). I'm thinking maybe that an oil line's come loose and I need a new manifold conector and/or gasket. Could also be a bad oil pump (which I've had replaced before.).

Any thoughts? All would be aprreciated, as I'm extremely paranoid about this right now and money is at a premium.

Questions to ask would also help.

Thanks~ Depa.

[XNASA]

1. Supercharged MR2's have an oil cooler, I think.

There are a couple of hoses that run from the engine to the cooler.

Check those out. Maybe you'll get lucky.

If not, the o-ring on the back of the crank is the next most likely thing.

I don't own an MR2, but had a friend once who did.

[rapier]

2. random thoughts

Sorry to have to say this but your in huge trouble. I say this not knowing how you "suddenly lost oil and pressure". If you have a gauge not an idiot light and you know for a fact it went from fine to very low in a moment, then well, maybe it isn't so bad. But I doubt it.

More likely you have a major oil leak, like say to the supercharger which probably has an external line, and thus you lost pressure quickly, not instantly. Be that as it may, driving that way, even a half mile with clattering was a huge no no. I assume your rods weren't knocking. Once that starts it doesnt' stop. Maybe your supercharger was making a racket.

Damage was done certainly. Not fatal perhaps, but not good.

I keep thinking about this SC, don't know a thing about them but it might be the source of the leak and the noise. Certainly an expensive replacement.

Hope you can get it running good enough to sell. If it runs perfectly even, I say get ready to sell. These things have a demand however so no matter how bad it is, even a blown engine, it will sell. It's a nifty car with some racing, especially autocross potential.

[depakid]

3. The way the stock cams on an MR-2 work

is that they're degigned to prevent damage in circunstaces like this. The car didn't overheat, and I there's no water in the oil or in the tailpipe. Just a massisive oil leak. I'm not certain how long it took me to notice the oil pressure gauge, but probably less than 10 seconds after the initial noises began. The car still runs- though choppy (as one might expect with a blown manifold gasket). Since it's too low to the ground, there's no way to check underneath until I get some buddies over with buddies over with special jacks.

I just had the suspercharger serviced, and it seems to be running fine. I'm wondering now whether the rear seal (or whatever it's called on a mid engine car) hasn't gone out.